Going to rehab is scary. It’s even scarier if you have people who depend on you. While it’s normal to be worried about your children, significant other, or pets while you’re in treatment, there are several ways you can ensure everyone is taken care of while you’re getting the help you need. Even though figuring out how to care for your family while in rehab can be stressful, it is entirely possible.

There are many things people worry about when preparing for addiction treatment. Many people, particularly parents and caregivers, worry the most about their family. They might be concerned about who will take care of their pets, how their family will make financial ends meet, or who will take care of their kids. While these obstacles may seem insurmountable, they are completely possible to overcome.

Options for Childcare While You’re in Rehab

Parents with young children must make arrangements for childcare, especially if you’re entering a residential treatment program. The best way to care for your kids while in rehab is to find someone you trust to watch them for you. This could be a significant other, your parents, older siblings, or even close friends.

If the person who is caring for your child has to work during the day, you may consider having a babysitter watch them or invest in childcare. If you’re attending an outpatient rehab program, you may ask them whether or not they offer some type of childcare as many do. These programs may even offer counseling programs for children of addicts, which could further benefit your child.

Some people simply don’t have trusted loved ones who can watch their children. In these cases, there are additional options. First, Safe Families for Children is a volunteer-based organization that finds temporary homes for children whose parents need assistance caring for them. If you can’t find a program that fits your needs, you may consider placing your child in temporary foster care under a Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA). This is often the last resort for individuals as this requires temporarily transferring custody of your child to the state department.

Trusting another person to care for your child is scary, understandably. However, it is what is best for them in the long run if that is what it takes for you to get the help you need. Always remember, getting help and getting sober is the single best thing you can do for both your child and yourself.

Options for Pet Care While You’re in Rehab

Pets are family and just like children, they will need to be cared for while you’re in rehab. If possible, ask a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor to take care of your pet for you. Be sure to leave them a list of instructions on how to care for the pet as well as any emergency contact information they may need.

If you don’t have anyone to watch your pet for you, long-term boarding is an option that is available at most pet boarding facilities. That being said, long-term boarding can get expensive, so if you’re looking to hire someone, it may be a better option to hire a pet sitter. Pet sitters will come to your home or stay in your home to care for your pets until you return from rehab.

While uncommon, there are pet-friendly rehab centers out there. If leaving your pet behind is simply not an option, you may look into going to a pet-friendly rehab center. However, this could mean you have to travel to another state for rehab or even across the country to find one that accepts your insurance and will take your pet.

Financial Planning to Care for Your Family While in Rehab

The cost of going to rehab can get expensive. Not only that but if you’re the primary breadwinner in your household, taking off time from work to go to rehab can place a financial strain on your family. Your family shouldn’t have to lose its source of income simply for you to get healthy again. Here are some options to look into if you’re worried about caring for your family financially while in rehab.

• Speak to your employer to see if you have any extra sick days, holidays, or PTO you can use so you still have some income while in rehab
• Attend a rehab center that is in-network with your insurance and request short-term disability from your employer to help reduce the overall costs of treatment.
• See if the treatment center offers a payment plan to make your payments and finances more manageable.
• Ask for financial assistance from friends and family to help support your family’s expenses while you’re in rehab.

Staying in Touch With Loved Ones During Rehab

Nearly all addiction treatment programs consider family involvement to be a vital part of the treatment and recovery process. While most programs don’t allow visitors in the first 5-7 days of treatment, most will allow daily or weekly visitation times and phone calls. Visitors and phone numbers will likely need to be approved by your counselor and added to a list before you can make contact.

Furthermore, there are many ways to communicate with your friends and family while in rehab. In addition to phone calls and visitation, some treatment centers will allow you to use the internet, emails, or snail-mail to send and receive messages. Before going to treatment, always check with the rehab center to see what forms of communication are allowed.

Getting Help is the Best Decision You Can Make

While it’s essential that you get help, it’s also important to take the steps you need to take to care for your family while in rehab. At the end of it all, you’ll realize that getting help is so worth it. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, don’t wait any longer. Contact us today to find a drug and alcohol rehab near you.